CBC rebrands CBC Newsworld

1:09 PM PDT 10/21/2009
by
Etan Vlessing
,
AP

Channel to become 24-hour news network

TORONTO -- Turning to a CNN-style format of round-the-clock news, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. is to rebrand its 24-hour news and current affairs channel CBC Newsworld as CBC News Network (CBC NN) beginning Monday.

The rebranded CBC NN channel is to feature more breaking news coverage by correspondents in the field and stepped-up business and consumer news as the public broadcaster chases younger, on-the-go viewers.

Also in the new American-style CBC NN schedule is a late-afternoon political news analysis and opinion and anchor-driven news talk shows in primetime.

CBC NN is also touting its global news-gathering reach.

The CBC rebranding comes as the public broadcaster faces growing competition in the TV news game from CNN, Fox News, BBC World and other 24-hour news channels now available via cable and satellite schedules here.

The CBC's main broadcast network will also introduce a multiplatform assignment desk to provide radio, TV and online news to younger consumers in minutes rather than hours.

The overhaul of the CBC's news-gathering operation follows two years of consumer research that pointed to a reliance on older viewers, and recent layoffs to deal with a TV ad slump during the economic downturn.

As at rival private broadcasters CTV and Global Television, ad dollars and viewers are shifting away from the CBC's main network TV operation to niche cable channels and online properties.

That has the CBC and private Canadian broadcasters lobbying Ottawa for bailout funds and regulatory relief to maintain local TV station news operations.